The BBL is set for a five-day recess ahead of SuperCoach Round 2 but the news will keep filtering through with important updates on Strikers selection along with Hamish McKenzie and Riley Meredith.
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The Strikers have the Round 2 double and will be front of mind for SuperCoaches with trade target, but their Round 1 wash-out has created some uncertainty.
Strikers quick Wes Agar offered some insight on SEN Sportsday SA, talking up English recruit David Payne as their death bowler. He said: “I think picking up David Payne is a massive plus for us. He’s got a lot of experience with death and he swings that next ball.”
Agar offered a glowing assessment of English all-rounder Jamie Overton who he didn’t know much about before his arrival in Adelaide and has since seen him in the nets with both bat and ball. Overton’s bowling role remains a mystery while he’s expected to bat anywhere from 5-7.
Agar said: “I can tell you he’s a big boy. Hits a hard ball. Hits long and straight. He bowls a heavy ball also. He’s really impressed me with the way he bowls and the way he goes about it. I think he might clear the pickets and knock some poles out this year.”
Adelaide lost Rashid Khan on the eve of the tournament to injury, potentially opening up an opportunity for spinners Ben Manenti or Cameron Boyce but their preferred spinner remains unclear, let alone if they’ll pick one given the options at their disposal with Matt and D’Arcy Short potentially able to offer some spin too.
“You’ve got to rely on your spinners that were behind Rash,” Agar said. “You’ve Ben Manenti and Cameron Boyce, both quality spinners in their own right.”
Read our predicted Round 2 line-ups
The Hobart Hurricanes offered a vague injury update on Riley Meredith who hurt his side way back on Monday night. The Canes update said: “The Hobart Hurricanes can confirm that fast-bowler Riley Meredith sustained an injury on Monday night during the Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers game at the University of Tasmania Stadium.
“Further updates on Meredith’s injury will be communicated in due course, once the Hobart Hurricanes medical staff have had the opportunity to appropriately diagnose his injury.”
Perth Scorchers spinner Hamish McKenzie was named Player of the Match after taking 2-12 in his second BBL game but with Ashton Agar set to return and Cooper Connolly impressing with his spin, he conceded his spot isn’t secure.
McKenzie said: “It’s going to take a whole squad to win it, whether I play just this game and don’t play again and we win. Whether I play 5-6 or all of them, who knows. I think with Coop bowling the way he did tonight and with Aggers coming back, it might be tough for me to play at home but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Scorchers assistant coach Beau Casson had earlier eluded to a role for McKenzie in specific games later in the tournament. Casson told 91.3 Sport FM: “The opportunity Hamish is getting (with Agar out), it gives us levers at the back-end of tournament where we can play two frontline spinners. He can spin the ball both ways. He can create headaches for the Stars’ middle-order.”
Read our predicted Round 2 line-ups
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